Willow by Julia Hoban

A book about cutting. Meh….I don’t think so. I picked it up and put it down more than once. Still. I kept hearing all the good reviews, and I knew that I had to give it a chance.

Yes, it’s about cutting – but it’s also about love and family and romance and hope and growing up. It’s a beautifully (and sometimes graphically) told story that doesn’t shy away from the reality of what it means to hurt yourself and why. Willow struggles with guilt over her parents’ death and her role in it. She was driving the car the night they were in a fatal accident.

She tries to come to terms with her new life (she’ll never be anyone’s daughter again) in the only way that she can – while trying to retain her sanity. With the help of David, her older brother, and Guy, a boy who won’t let her give up on herself, we begin to see a glimmer of hope.

If you liked Speak and Wintergirls, I really think you’ll enjoy this one too. Willow is a very likeable girl and, strangely enough, very relatable too. Very happy that I finally gave it the chance it deserved.